Lil Durk, born Durk Derrick Banks, has reportedly spent 131 days in solitary confinement at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles, as his legal team fights what they describe as unconstitutional conditions linked to an alleged Apple Watch violation. According to recent court filings cited by outlets including Hot 97 and The Source, his attorneys argue that the prolonged isolation, imposed “without process,” may violate federal regulations and the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment.[1][3]
According to The Source, Durk’s lawyer Christy O’Connor says the Chicago rapper is confined to a “very small jail cell, just large enough for a single bed, a toilet, and a sink,” where he reportedly spends 23 hours a day alone.[3] HotNewHipHop notes that in the motion filed this week, O’Connor states he has no access to commissary, is permitted only one phone call per month, and receives no in‑person social visits, conditions his team says are dangerously extreme for a pretrial detainee.[2] The filings further cite public‑health research on the “deleterious” mental‑health impact of long‑term solitary confinement, including heightened risks of anxiety, depression, and self‑harm.[2][3]
Hot 97 reports that the alleged catalyst for Durk’s solitary placement is possession of an unauthorized Apple Watch, which jail officials treated as a serious rules violation.[1] His attorneys contend that the punishment is disproportionate and “without process,” emphasizing that the Bureau of Prisons and the Los Angeles facility have reportedly given conflicting explanations—initially downplaying any link to his celebrity status, then later suggesting his high profile presents security concerns.[1][3] The dispute over those justifications has become central to his legal team’s push for a status hearing and a review of his housing and disciplinary status.[1]
Lil Durk has been detained since 2024 on federal charges including conspiracy, murder‑for‑hire, and firearm use in a violent crime, to which he has pleaded not guilty.[2] Prosecutors have sought an anonymous jury, citing his resources and influence as head of Only The Family (OTF), and both sides agreed to move his trial start date to May, extending his pretrial detention.[1][2] As his solitary confinement passes the four‑month mark, the case is drawing broader attention to prisoner rights, mental health, and how the federal system treats high‑profile defendants—raising deeper questions about due process and the limits of punishment before a conviction is ever reached.[1][2][3][4]
